


You Took Everything

by EclecticSorcerer



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 12:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12169167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticSorcerer/pseuds/EclecticSorcerer
Summary: Taako couldn't tell if he was actually screaming or not. All he knew was that a void had been filled, just before he was violently ripped apart.





	You Took Everything

_How could you forget your sister?_

The words rang in his head, echoing over and over. A weight had been lifted, a block erased. A split second of happiness, he knew what was missing, he could- no. He saw the card. Blank except for two words, in Lup's handwriting.

"Back soon."

Taako couldn't tell if he was actually screaming or if it was all echoing in his head.

"Ten."

He stands, umbra staff pointed at Lucretia. He can feel his whole body trembling. It won't stop, he can hardly hold the staff steady.

"Nine."

Tears are threatening to fall. Not yet. It's not what she would want. She wouldn't want him to cry. He bites his lip, hard.

"Taako, I know you're upset-"

"Eight."

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Magnus pull out the flaming sword strapped to his back. It is pointed at Lucretia. Magnus isn't shaking. Taako resists the urge to laugh bitterly. 

"Seven."

"Please listen to me,  _please_ -"

No. He was done listening. He could feel his insides boiling and freezing all at once, anger, despair, hopelessness. It was consuming him, narrowing his vision, blocking out everything. Everything except him, and Lucretia.

"Six."

"What the hell are you doing?" Merle's shakey voice rang through the dark haze. Of course he didn't understand. Merle the believer, the generous, the forgiving. Willing to hear anyone out. Maybe that was a good thing. Merle was a good man. Taako was nowhere near as forgiving.

"Five."

Magnus cut in as Lucretia opened her mouth to respond.

"No, the chance to explain yourself was about, hmm, a  _dozen_ _memories ago_."

Taako almost smiled at that. Magnus had  _no fucking clue_. He raised his head defiantly. Forced his hands to stop shaking. Pointed the umbra staff directly at Lucretia's head.

"Honestly, seven seconds ago, I'm doing this cool countdown-"

He gritted his teeth. Frustration and anger shook his body now, but his aim was steady.

"You fucking took  _everything_ from me!"

This was where a flash of light would appear. This is where she would turn to ashes. But nothing happened. He couldn't bring himself to do it. His arm dropped to his side.

He didn't even notice the tears on his face. He would collapse into a pile if he could. Ever since he was a kid, Lup had been his whole world. When she had disappeared, he had refused to believe she was gone. But it had been so long. And he hadn't even had her memory.

"I know that things went wrong, I know I shouldn’t have kept you all in the dark for as long as I did. I swear, I had no idea how arduous a task this was gonna be, I know I have a lot for atone for. But please, just- I’m begging you let me finish this and we can talk about it."

Taako watched as the drops hit the floor.

"Fine."

Barry finally spoke.

"Lucretia, you can't do this! We told you why the barrier’s not gonna work. It's going to sever every bond this world’s ever had. Please, I- I know why you did what you did, but you just- you can’t do this!"

"You know, honestly, do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore."

Barry looked terrified. Merle looked sad. Lucretia was unreadable.

"Taako, please just trust me. It’s what we did to this world, it- you know it wasn’t right. We made a promise almost a hundred years ago-"

As if he gave a shit about the promise. As if he gave two flying fucks about anything. When he said he didn't care, he meant it. He didn't care if this world lived or died. He didn't care if he burned along with it.

"Lucretia, do you realize that- you remember that Taako just realized he lost his sister. This isn’t the time for you to explain yourself! Taako, listen. I know this is tough but, you found her! Maybe not how you expected to, but when you weren’t looking you found her. That’s the connection- that’s how strong your connection is to Lup. She’s still helping you, you’re still working together! And she wouldn’t want you to give up!"

Magnus tried. He really did. But Taako was beyond caring. Lup was gone. His world was  _gone_ , and no one seemed to get it. Time to tell it straight.

Taako straightened his hat and tightened his grip on the umbra staff. He looked up to stare Magnus in the eyes. Mask up. Face expressionless.

"I appreciate what you’re trying to do. And I’m on board for whatever the plan is. But understand this: I have nothing, and I don’t give a shit. The world is ending, and I. Don't. Care."

With a turn of his heel, Taako walked to lean against the wall, and wait.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is short but I really wanted to explore what might have been going through Taako's head during this. We know the scene made us all cry, but for some reason I had to add to it. I... sometimes I really relate to Taako's nihilism and while I've never actually been smack in the middle of the apocalypse there's been times when I felt like my world was ending and I didn't care. It's... not the healthiest, but this was really important to me, since I empathized with it so much. I hope you liked it.


End file.
